Immortal Souls
by ang catalonan
Summary: Huddy established relationship. Their love for each other will be tested by fate itself, will they be able to survive it? Or at least, can one of them survive? AU. Please read and review. Lots of twists.
1. A Vision of the Future

**A/N: **New story, its going to be short, some really good 5-6 chapter story. I have this idea of thinking of a word and making a story out of it. So, please carry on. My beta is the kindhearted that's willing to do charity---Vodka Martini.

The events are somewhat interconnected in a puzzle-like manner but not necessarily interconnected to each other. They are interconnected as a whole and not necessarily to each other. Did you get that? I seem to have lost the ability to explain.

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**TITLE:** Immortal Souls 

**TV SHOW: **House MD

**PAIRING: **HUDDY

**TIMELINE: **A/U; House POV

**GENRE:** Drama, Romance, Tragedy (Char Death), Angst and Humor (at times).

**DISCLAIMER: **House, not mine. I don't know Korean and own all the other references I made here. I am not making money out of this. No flames. Constructive criticisms will work well.

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**A Vision of the Future**

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**TEARDROPS**

Everything is blurred. I know I exist in a continuum unknown to time and space. I know I am not alone but I feel all the coldness of the wind and the rain smack my lips and envelop my body.

I know I am no longer breathing. I know my heart already stopped beating.

Somebody violently shook my shoulders and shouted: "Greg, are you okay?" She repeated it for about three to five times and then shouted out for help.

I know that it was just the two of us. I know no one will hear her; no one will come bearing help. No one will come to ease the fear in her voice.

Only I can do that; but right now I can't, I won't, I wouldn't. There's nothing more to be done.

She dragged my body to the riverside, and placed me in a supine position on the firmest flat surface she had found. I felt her knees at my side as she spread her legs apart to gain a wide base support.

I know she was crying. I can hear her sobbing when she assessed my breathing by placing her ear over my mouth and nose. I can smell her. She smelled like Vanilla. I breathed her in. I tasted her through the teardrop she allowed to fall freely to my lips.

_**My poor Lisa, I know I have no right to do this to you. **_

I longed to caress her, to touch my roughed palm to the velvet of her cheeks. But I know right now I really can't, I won't and I wouldn't even dare. There's no chance in hell…

She knew I was breathless already when she found me. She pinched my nostril with the thumb and index finger of one of her hand with the side of its palm rested on my forehead. She placed the index and middle fingers of her other hand on my chin to tilt my head.

She took a deep breath after a brief sob, then placed her mouth over mine creating a tight seal while blowing two full breaths.

As I felt her mouth open, I know I want nothing more than to entangle my tongue with hers in a playful, pleasurable maneuver. I know a smile will be drawn across her face once she realized that everything was not real but a selfish prank I designed only for my own satisfaction at her expense. I know she'll burst into tears admitting that I scared her and that I had gone too far. I know just how she'll react. That's how predictable she is to me.

But then, I know that this is not a prank I designed just so to freak her out. I am freaking out too. I know I am wishing as hard as her that this is not happening.

"Breathe! Greg, breathe!"

I felt her slender fingers slide through my neck, searching for a pulse. Nothing.

"You idiot! You can't die on me!" Then another teardrop fell from her eyes to my brows. I know right now my body is numb but as ironic as it may seem, I am at the same time hypersensitive to every stimulation our simple proximity can condone.

Then another two drops of tears: one fell directly to my left eye and the other to my forehead together with the fresh mountain rain.

She margined my ribcage with the hand nearest to my feet until she felt my substernal notch. She measured the site of compression by placing the heel of her hand nearest to my head part beside the index finger then placed the other hand over it as she interlaced her fingers for stabilized compression about two finger-breaths from my xiphoid process.

I know she was trying to do everything according to a detailed checklist she return-demonstrated idealistically during her medical student days. I know she was trying to make this attempt to bring me back to life work. I know she wasn't allowing a room for a miscalculated mistake cost me my life. But then I know (as much as she does herself) that I am drifting away.

She started compressing my chest with locked elbows, straight arms and shoulders directly overhands with fingers not touching my chest. She forced it deeper, compressing my sternum one and a half to two inches deep.

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and one and two and three and four and one…"

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and one and two and three and four and two…"

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and one and two and three and four and three…"

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and one and two and three and four and four…"

Then she re-checked my carotid pulse, still nothing.

"1001, 1002, 1003…" She blew me another two full breaths but still, nothing. She then proceeded to Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation again, and again, and again; but still, nothing. I can feel her all over me, while I can feel myself fading into nothingness.

She stopped, allowed herself to freeze a few seconds to chill as she felt the coldness in the wind eat her flesh away. But then again, tirelessly she grasped for breath.

"Please, I beg you. Please wake up. Breathe!"

_**I'm sorry I can't. **_

"Please…"

Then she punched me violently in the chest. I felt my body jerk. Then again, with rage she cried and punched me even harder. She slapped me, pushed me deeper into the mud. She groaned in agony, then pulled me up closer to her body and whispered something in my ear I did not catch.

I know I can't physically feel pain, but I have felt her pain. She rested on top of me, sobbing.

"Please come back to me."

_**No, I can't. There's nothing left to be done. Let go, Lisa.**_

"Please---"

I tried to moan to try and send her a message in a worldly account but failed. I tried to call her name and tell her that everything will be fine but there was no voice coming from my pale lips. I seem to have lost everything that had made me human.

"---WAKE UP!"

_**No!**_

"HOUSE!"

I jerked up from the exam room's small cramped bed feeling a sudden urge of blood flow to my extremities. I popped my eyes open and saw Cuddy looking down at me, shaking her head in dismay.

"You never change."

"You know very well that I needed an eventual visit to The Matrix," I wiped off some dried drool off the corner of my lips. "Nice skirt, by the way. I was just dreaming about you."

She rolled her eyes in contempt; in a manner I have always found arousing and threw me a chart.

And I should have known earlier, it was only in dreams that I seem to have known everything.

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**BROKEN**

I closed the chart.

"It's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Her heart is unstable; it can kill her any moment."

"You said it was due to overworking when she went to you for the free clinic the last time."

I re-opened the chart and tried to digest back in the information. _God, this guy is annoying!_

**Admission number 2291348**

**Angelica Gamlanga **

**19 years old **

**Orphan **

I rechecked the test results, enjoying the silence in the eerie of the hospital jazz. It's like dancing, I'll do what he thinks I am doing because that's what he wants me to do, and then I wrote another order.

**Transfer to Telemetry**

I hummed in concerto with the non-existent orchestral symphony.

"Well?"

I deep breathed and sum up the words. "I didn't expect it to get this worse this fast."

"I don't believe you. Do it again. Do all the tests over."

"No. I'm good with the diagnosis."

"You call yourself a doctor? You're only a quack."

"Oh, well---this duck has some lunch food to attend to." I stood up and went out. Cuddy must already be halfway her chicken Caesar salad and have had two coffee frappe by the time I will reach her eating in the cafeteria.

I miss her.

I can't wait to be with her.

I can't wait to learn what new contribution to the rumor mill will be added when they see us eating lunch again together for the sixth day now in a consecutive manner.

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**PAPER AIRPLANES**

I saw her roll her eyes when she saw a paper airplane crash down in front of her after it had innocently flown across her class.

I saw half a dozen of her medical students stifle laughter as they saw the mighty-Dean's eyes grow wide in annoyance. All the rest pretended that nothing had just happened and went on copying lecture notes from the power point presentation.

"Excuse me," she snapped and turned to search for me.

I glared at the three students at the door nearest to me as if threatening them not to ever dare give her my direction. That tactic must've seemed to work because Cuddy did not even dare approach the door where I was trying to conceal myself.

She sighed sharply and crushed the paper in her hands.

No.

I went back to the nurse's station and asked---no, demanded---for a TPR sheet and folded it to form an airplane. I even curled the ends of its wings using a ball pen and tested it in the corridors until I reached her classroom again.

"Nice." Cuddy surprised me as I mistakenly stick my head to the door immediately without even observing the proper "precautionary techniques" I enumerated for myself to follow so that I will never be get caught.

"Hi!" I said, wearing my best charming façade.

Half the class giggled, I glared again to the three students I glared at earlier and they choked their laughter off their faces instantaneously.

"What is this?" She asked me, obviously angry. Like the barbarian kind of angry, like she's ready to chop my head off. I love it.

"Actually, Dr. Cuddy, I was about to give you a memo."

She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Memo folded like an airplane?"

"Well, this one has to travel fast, plus the distance it'll have to reach is admirable."

"Fast, huh?"

"Yah, like Stat."

Then I walked away. I just satisfied myself with the imaginary image of her unfolding the paper and seeing my note: **I need a new heart. I have a patient with a malfunctioning heart, irreparable. **

**Anyway, you must feel sad. The first airplane paper where I wrote the first note was the best magazine image I found of Jeju Island. I know you're just dying to go there. **

**What a loss. **

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**PAGER**

"You having an orgasm over there?"

"Yeah. Come over here. Bend over and I'll scream louder."

"You're grossing me out."

"I paged you, twenty times."

"Uh, I lost my beeper."

"Seriously? As in, the beeper you've been using for ten years now?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that one."

"What happened?"

She gritted her teeth at me.

"What?"

"You don't know?"

I shook my head, no.

"I lost it when I dragged you off the river."

"Me?"

"Are you playing me?"

"Humor me." I lied.

"You over sped the car we were riding. You lost control of it on slippery grounds and we fell off the river. I dragged you out." She turned her gaze away from me. "I almost lost you."

So, it wasn't a dream. It was some repressed memory I kept shut off my consciousness.

"And you? Did I hurt you?"

"You really don't remember?"

"Sorry."

"It's okay. Uhm, I'll be off late tonight. Maybe I'll even travel to New York for a speaking engagement. Just leave me a message on my pager."

"You told me you lost your beeper."

"Dummy! You can still leave a message in the system."

"Why not use those new cell phone gadgets available in the market?"

"Call my pager number; I left you a message there." She winked at me, and I took it. Proud that those lovely eyes can freely wink at me now, as compared to the past when we were forced to keep our feelings for each other a secret. I'm proud that after a long while, we are finally all out.

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**SARANGHEYO**

"Sa-rang-he-yo. Sa-rangheyo!"

"Will you stop saying that please?"

I saw her look over at me from the kitchen. I did not bother to look at her, rather I paid deliberate attention to the Korean actors: Song Hye Kyo and Rain in their love story/soap opera entitled "Full House."

I found it hidden under Cuddy's shelf of "The Human Anatomy" binders, obviously trying to hide it from me. I played it on her player and was partly disappointed when I learned that it wasn't anyway related to playing cards.

"SARANGHEYO!" I even teased her.

She hit the power button to the blender and I can hear her mumbling something that sounds like "jerk" concealed under the noise.

"Hey, I heard that!"

"What are you gaining by doing that? You think you're going to learn to speak Korean if you finish the whole series? It has been 16 hours, Greg."

"You want to bet?"

Then she pushed the blender back on.

"I LEARNED THE WORDS KANSAHAMNIDA AND SARANGHEYO ALREADY!"

Then, it was off again. "Put the subtitles back on, I want to watch too."

"No. I'm studying Korean."

"Without the translations?" She said, obviously mocking me.

"Yeah. Do you know that Kan-sa-ham-ni-da means something like thank you, and then they'll bow their heads slightly like this?" I mimicked the guy in the show.

"Riiiiiiiiiight." She walked passed me to go to her bedroom completely trying to ignore me.

"Hey, where's my watermelon shake?"

"Pause the DVD and make your own."

"That's really sweet. Very girl-friend-ish thing to do."

"Kansahamnida!" She told me as she disappears to the corridors.

Later, by the break of dawn I learned "Kansahamnida" really is thank you and/or hi; and "Sarangheyo" means I love you or something like that though I'm not really sure. By the time I finished the whole series, it was already the break of dawn and luckily, it was my day off.

She was all set and ready to go before seven that morning, I pretended I did not hear her storm over the house so that I will avoid all those gardening and home-maintenance activities that I know she will ask me to do. I turned away from her as she taps her fingers to my shoulder.

She kissed me lightly on the cheek and whispered: "Sarangheyo" then went out.

I popped my eyes open, damn.

I should have just asked her to teach me Korean.

How the freakin' hell did she learn that?

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**ANSWER**

"Lisa…" I whispered her name as I cuddle her to my arms around 1:45 AM.

"Hmm…"

"Why did you save me?"

She did not bother to open her eyes and look at me as she answers: "So, I wouldn't have to die after you."

Then she bury her face to my chest, I kissed her head and pulled her body closer to me.

I am never going to let that happen again.

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Please Review. 

Tell me what you think.

Suggestions are welcome.

My thanks to **Vodka Martini** for beta-ing this for me in such short notice and **mj0621** for helping me pick a title.

**--angcatalonan**


	2. Things to Come

As usual, your reviews made me extremely happy. Thanks to my dear friend,** Vodka Martini **for beta-ing this one for me again.

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**Things to Come**

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**SCUBA DIVING **

_**30 minutes. **_

I sighed and trapped a small volume of salty afternoon air in my mouth, pushed it in into my upper gums (forming a bulge of air in my upper lip) and then played with it. I felt my lips dry off as I sigh again, much more forcibly this time.

I took a woman's watch out of my pant's pocket and looked at the time.

_**48 minutes. **_

I brought my left index finger to my left ear, irritated. I have very little time for tolerance. I have a very short string for waiting, and whoever will tell me right now that "Patience is a virtue" I am very much ready to smack that person in the face, violently.

_**1 hour, 12 minutes. **_

_**C'mon, c'mon. **_

I looked at the horizon. I rested my face to my cane's handle while I toss and turn in my wooden chair. I tapped my good foot in the wooden beach dock for Jet Ski motors.

_**Another five minutes of making me wait and you're dead. **_

I am fighting so much the urge to throw my Game Boy SP to the sea. It had ran out of battery an hour and twenty-eight minutes ago, and that was when I felt the desire to kill myself for putting myself in a situation wherein I would have to wait.

_**1 hour, 15 minutes. **_

I rubbed my face, stroked my hair then licked my lips in annoyance. I bit my lower lip, so hard that it almost bled.

_**I am going to kill you, Lisa. **_

"Hey!"

_**Finally. **_

"You made me wait." I said, not even bothering to mask the anger in my voice.

"Sorry," she said, obviously don't mean it.

"Lisa, you told me you'll only be down there in less than an hour! You're always like this, since you got me to agree to go with you when you have to dive."

She smiled broadly and climbed up to my floor, sat herself with her feet dangling to the sea. "You got to see what I saw!"

I did not answer. I drowned myself at the sight of her. She looked psyched. I watched her remove her oxygen tank and the rest of her scuba gears, leaving only a piece of swim wear tightly hugging her skin. Then she went to me and sat on my lap. "You're wet." I protested.

She smiled naughtily at me and said: "How did you know?" in a suggestive tone.

I smirked. "Oh, don't start with me. I'm in a vengeful mood."

She laughed softly in my ears. "You really got to see what I saw. It was heaven."

"Uh, how do you suggest I do that? In case you haven't noticed, I have a bum leg." I tapped her with my cane.

"I videotaped it!" She said, shaking with excitement in my arms. Then, pointed one of her fingers to the direction of where she left her scuba stuffs. I did not notice that there rest a digital video camera inside a transparent plastic case when she took it off. I turned my gaze back at her and she said proudly: "I took everything I saw. You'd love it!"

She said it like she was so sure I'd love what she took for me. Truth is that, the sea doesn't really interest me. She does.

I felt her as she nibbles my ear, I love everything she does.

"You love me?" She asked teasingly.

"Get off my lap." That's all that I said.

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**SUNFLOWER FIELD**

"Greg?"

"Yeah?"

"When I call, will you always answer me?"

I did not reply because in fact the answer I have in mind is another question that I know will just annoy her: _**What kind a stupid question was that?**_

"Greg?"

_**You should know**_ _**by now what my answer would be. **_"Hmm?"

"Greg."

"Yeah?"

And they all turned their heads to the direction of the setting sun. Lisa rested her face on my back while I was trying to draw my full attention to driving my motorcycle bike despite of the sensation brought about by her body pressed against mine.

"Greg," her voice in its faintest whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, Greg…"

_**You know you can trust me. **_"Mmmm?"

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**CHATROOM**

An instant messaging window popped up on my screen. It almost startled me to death when I learned who it was.

**House'sLisa: **Nice. You're downloading some porn again? You know its office hours. I don't want an issue to deal with. I'm also your boss, you know.

I allowed myself a good laugh. I know the ducklings on the other room must've gone gaga again because of my outburst.

**MegatronWithACane: **Nice user name, Cuddles!

Pop.

**House'sLisa: **You CHANGED my IM name again? How were you able to get my passwords? I never told you.

Pop.

**House'sLisa: **But, hey, I like it. I think I'll keep it. And yours is just---evil.

**MegatronWithACane: **I knew you'd say that. XD.

Limewire window popped up my screen saying that downloading is complete. I closed it and played the video only to confirm if it was a working file and not some virus data I accidentally fed my files with. I went back to talking to her after hearing her "buzz" at me.

**MegatronWithACane: **You can't be here because you have to stalk me for the clinic. I already got Cameron finish my clinic hours in advance, even before you knew it…Whoops!

Pop.

**House'sLisa: **Cameron once again took your clinic hours? She should be canonized.

**MegatronWithACane: **So, what made you come here?

Pop.

**House'sLisa: **Something just popped in my head. I thought maybe I should tell you. I have a meeting in ten minutes.

**MegatronWithACane: **What is it?

I waited then Pop.

**House'sLisa: **They say everyone has their own destiny.

**MegatronWithACane: **So?

Pop.

**House'sLisa: **I wish that you could be my destiny.

I froze. It felt like a thousand sensation envelopes every inch of my body.

**MegatronWithACane: **Me too.

Later after she sighed off and went to her meeting, I logged out then logged back in again only to change my user name permanently to **Cuddy'sGreg. **

I think I'll keep it as well.

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**JEALOUSY**

"Hey! House! What are you upset about?"

She managed to corner me as I limp my way out of the hospital. At the sight of her, I automatically reached out for my bottle of Vicodin.

I ignored her, opened the bottle and dry swallowed three pills. I know her eyes widen in contempt of the amount of narcotics I just took in.

I limped my way past her.

"Is it because he asked my help about a problem?"

I saw her with the new university male-professor who obviously have the hots for her having lunch in the cafeteria. I wouldn't have been mad only if she hadn't turned me down earlier when I asked her to have a lunch out with me, not telling me she has other plans.

So, I just sat there, watching them occasionally smile at each other while having some civil conversation. Then, he touched her hand. She tapped it lightly with her other hand and smiled sweetly at him.

Men can see things on other men only we know and understand.

Cuddy could sometimes be just so dense.

I made my painful way to the parking space of my motor bike. She followed me and looked at me disbelievingly. Of course, I wouldn't expect her to ride with me at the back of it. It's obvious that she wouldn't even dare because she is wearing her prettiest brown skirt, slightly above the knee.

By the way, that's exactly my point for bringing the bike today. I offered her my reserve helmet, and she took it, picking up the message with it.

"If that's what it is, I'm disappointed." She continued. "You can't stand me talking to anyone else, so if I married someone else you wouldn't last 5 minutes. Let alone 50 years."

I snapped. "What? You think you will live more than a hundred years, Cuddy?"

Slap!

My face was thrown hard to the side. It was the first time she slapped me. It was the first time she lost her control over her anger.

I watched her chest rise and fall along with forceful inhalation and exhalation. I was quiet, still in shock when she spoke.

"I am going to live for a long time, as long as I can, with you." Her voice was cracking. It was as if her knees are shaking too. Then, she turned her back at me but after remembering that she's still holding my helmet she spun around to face me and threw my helmet hard to the cemented floor.

I saw it break into pieces. I saw her leave.

"I'll just ask Wilson to drive me home," she did not even turned around to look at me. She just left.

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**UNSTOPPABLE**

I saw Cuddy preparing to leave. She took a load of paper works and placed it in her bag. It has been three days already since our big fight. Even at home, she doesn't speak to me. She is still upset.

She, of all people, should know that when I snap, I just snap. I don't really mean it.

Even at work, she dodged me quite well. Occasionally asking Wilson, some nurses even up to maintenance men to sending me messages to get my ass to the Clinic. I know it was a great opportunity for me to skip the clinic, but then the image of her when she slapped me haunted me. I actually hoped that when she saw me being a "good boy" she would come back to her senses and talk to me already.

I saw her going to the door. I picked up my cane as I stand up from my seat when I heard a familiar voice that stopped me.

"Let her live. Let my Angelica live."

I shook my head exasperatedly. _**Not now. **_

"Please. I'm rich. Try everything, I'll pay."

I turned around and recognized that it was the young guy who inquired about my patient that I transferred to Telemetry for cardiac monitoring.

"What about a transplant?"

I already considered that. "It's too late."

Cuddy walked past me, looked at me in the eye. I looked at her too. I thought she would approach me, but then she withdrew her gaze and went on with her stride. "That's life. Life is a bitch. Live with it. I have to go."

"Come on, Angel is… "

I saw Cuddy already out the door. I could only imagine that she's making her way to her car to go home alone. I have to hurry; I will ask her to give me a ride and pretend to be in unbearable pain. Unbearable enough that it wouldn't be safe for me to drive the bike. Perhaps her guilt will work well in my favor once again. "Let's just pick this conversation up tomorrow where we will leave it now---"

"She's only 19. I haven't even told her that I like her." He said, pleadingly.

"She can't afford to be upset or surprised. Love can kill her. If she gets too happy or excited, her heart could stop." I spoke as if I was talking to a slow learner.

"No!"

**Greg. **

I think I heard something in the wind call my name. I turned around and search for anyone. This can't happen; I don't want to re-assure another patient about his physical condition. Another one and I will go mental. I really have to go now.

**Greg.**

Who the hell is calling my name?

"No way! That's bullshit!"

Then an overwhelming sound was heard all over the place. It was the deafening sound of glass breaking and metal crashing on metal. It was so great that everyone in the lobby remained quiet for a slow four seconds.

**Greg. **

Everyone except for me moved towards the direction of the sound. I just stood there, frozen, digesting the moment. Trying to sink myself in a reality that seemed unreal, then I heard it again.

In the wind, it said: **Greg… **

_**No. **_

A realization unfolds itself to me. _**Lisa!**_

"WE NEED A STRETCHER OVER HERE!"

"OH GOD! CAR CRASH!"

"ALERT THE E.R. FOR ADMISSION OF A TRAUMA PATIENT COMING IN!"

I let go of my cane, allowed it to drop to the floor.

I took a step, towards Lisa's direction.

I let go of my pain. I never knew that there will be anything in this world that could free me from it. I seem to have ceased to exist.

Step, step, step: slowly.

"SOMEONE IS DEAD!"

I felt a high perfusion of blood making its way up my head. I have felt the release of hormones all over my body, each tissue answering the question of fight or flight.

I felt darkness covering me over the head like a piece of satin cloth. My body is fleeing: my temperature is lowering down, my pupils dilating, my respiration increasing.

I ran, fighting off all the reality there is in Physics and Biology, pushing off the obvious unfolding of physiological events that will prevail to occur if I wouldn't dare to fight it off.

_**I promised to come to her when she calls me. **_

_**I asked her to trust me.**_

_**I have to see her.**_

By the time I got there, I froze.

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That's chapter 2. Tell me what you think, please review. 

Btw, **HouseAddiction **and I will try to work on the next chapter of **Beauty and the Snark**, we are both hoping that it'll be out before her vacation.

**---ang catalonan**


	3. While In Love

**GOOD NEWS:** I found my drafts. Finally! It is my intention to continue this story but I had to stop because I had to finish school and I lost my draftS. I made some major cleaning in my room and I'm so glad I did.

**BAD NEWS:** I couldn't get my beta to talk to me. I think she's busy. So I have to say, all mistakes are mine. This is all me, forgive my grammar. I tried my best to correct what I can. But don't get me wrong, I still love her. I take it that she's just busy. We all know real life sucks. Now, enjoy.

* * *

**WHILE IN LOVE**

* * *

**TEN**

I wasn't sure if it was ten seconds or ten minutes or ten yards or ten feet. It could have been ten steps or ten deep breaths. Or ten agonizing huge leaps…

All that matters is that I am now holding Lisa in my arms. I can feel her trembling…

"Shhh… It's okay now."

"I thought I'd die…"

I held her in my arms. I can feel her knees shaking. I tried to stabilize her… I don't think I succeeded because even I was shaking. I wasn't very successful in hiding it either.

"I thought I'd never see you again…"

"Shhh…"

"I thought we'd part with anger---"

"We will not part." I tried to compose myself and calmly spoke. "I'm sorry."

Well, that's my first.

She looked at me, wrapped her arms around me as I took her right hand and placed it to my chest, "This is my heart. From now on, I'd breathe if you'd tell me to breathe and I'll stop when you tell me to stop."

"Stupid." She whispered in my ears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been jealous. I shouldn't have let you---"

"Stupid. You're stupid." I noticed that she's bleeding from the small cuts brought about by the pieces of glass that flew around after impact. I'm so glad she had just crossed the parking lot and haven't boarded her car yet when the accident happened. I have seen that her car was crushed by the other vehicles. The ER personnel are busy triaging the ones involved that has major injury.

"I'm sorry---"

"You're stupid. This isn't your fault."

"Still…"

"Stupid!"

"I know."

The paramedics came and took her to sew her cuts.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**TRANQUILITY**

"The rain stopped."

"In the center of a typhoon, there's no rain or wind. Only tranquility…"

"Then, we are in the center of a typhoon?" I asked her as she sat herself beside me on the shore looking up at the stormy evening sky.

Actually, it was just a weekend getaway when we impulsively bought a ticket to fly to Miami. It was only on Saturday morning after the travel of Friday evening when we learned that a storm was brewing. It was just Sunday afternoon when the rain slightly subsided. I immediately called for a ticket reservation to fly us back to New Jersey by Monday but the operator said that all flights were cancelled for the next three days because the typhoon's tail had not crossed the whole state.

That is why right now we are still trapped at the beach house we rented, looking over the violent waves of the sea.

"It's beautiful." She always makes it a point to make every single moment we are together worth remembering. She became romantic and extremely sentimental after the river incident. "What's the probability of seeing something like this?" She asked.

Something about what happened that day must've changed her. Maybe she had a vision of some sort. I don't know. I looked at her intensely and answered: "What's the probability of us meeting each other in a lifetime?"

We stared at each other's eyes. She smiled, "Like the probability of seeing a star during a typhoon." She pointed to the single star glowing proudly in the darkened sky.

A star indeed, in her eyes, I felt its warmth burning of love for me. I sighed, "Lisa…"

"Hmm?"

"I made up my mind. I'll cry for you, laugh for you and live for you. You're the center of my universe." I told her without even blinking.

"You're easily offended, obsessed and possessive. You are very rude when you're upset and jealous, but I like that." She stroked the edges of my face with her warm and calming hands.

I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her, as if my pain is non-existent. "I wish we could stay here forever."

**------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**RULES**

_**LISA'S 7 RULES TO BE HAPPY**_

_**1. Never hate.**_

_**2. Don't worry too much.**_

_**3. Live simple. **_

_**4. Expect little.**_

_**5. Give a lot.**_

_**6. Always smile. **_

_**7. Best of all---Stay close to Greg. He got to love me. **_

I laughed when I saw it.

I just woke up. No mouthwash, no breakfast… no nothing. And I just laughed. I rolled over my bed, stood up and took the piece of paper Lisa posted on the fridge door still laughing.

I never had a great laugh in my life until now.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**P.M.S.**

Lisa wiped her cheeks off of tears. It melts my heart to watch her hurt.

"Stop CRYING!" I couldn't help it but raise my voice a little. I know I made her cry so many times before but now…

"I can't help it!"

I scratched my head. I like her angry and sassy, I don't like her breaking down. "JUST STOP!"

She sniffed and said, "I hate you."

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are!"

She looked at me, confused. "What?"

"Dora the Explorer." I said dismissingly.

"I'm sorry…" She said, still not understanding.

"I quoted Jagger and Socrates before. I just thought I'd quote Dora…"

She stood up, shook her head and said: "I hate you."

_Cuddy's assistant will be so dead tomorrow. Upsetting Cuddy like that…_

_Tsk, tsk. _

_Hot sex postponed._ I stared at the ceiling blankly. Definitely disappointed.

She'd definitely have her menses in the next 3 days. I took the calendar and marked a huge "X" on the corresponding date while I made a mental note to include some yogurt and sprinkles in my grocery list for tomorrow.

I took the remote and turned the TV on. Dora the Explorer will be starting in 5 minutes, Spongebob in 15.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**SILENCE**

"Lis," I called her name. We are on board a plane from South Korea. Finally, Lisa made it to fulfill her wish to go to Jeju Island and brought me along with her.

"What?"

"What were you doing when I saw you at the top of the hill?"

Silence.

My eyebrow arched contentiously before she called my name. "Greg…"

"What?"

"Let's go back to Jeju Island."

"Why?"

Silence.

"Let's just go back there same date next year." Lisa said.

Silence.

"Greg…"

"My silence means yes, Lisa. How long have you known me?"

Silence.

"And the year after next year…"

Silence.

"And the year after that?"

Silence.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**ROSES**

"I may not always do or say the little things to let you know how much I appreciate you as a part of my life, but there's one thing I'm sure of. MY WORLD SMILES MORE SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE IN IT."

Shit!

Seriously? Did Wilson actually think I'd tell Cuddy that? So scripted… I crumpled the piece of paper where he wrote the phrase and threw it.

How about: "I already gave you my heart. You should marry me." Sounds more like an order than an invitation. Sounds like a desperate virgin…

Maybe I should just…

Lisa finally arrived.

I chilled. I have been standing on my feet in the cold of the ice skating rink waiting for her to arrive. Today I have planned to pop the big question but I can't seem to find the right words.

I wouldn't want her to reject me. I wouldn't take her answer if it's "No". It's either a "Yes" or I'm walking away from her. But as usual, I am freaked by the idea that after such a long time of childish escapades I'd end up marrying my beloved enemy and boss. If ever she'd say "yes".

The idea of living together just presented itself and eventually happened. Nobody asked the question on who should move in with whom. I was glad that this relationship with Lisa wasn't as hard as I thought this would be. But the idea of marriage is a different thing. Someone got to ask the question. It wouldn't be wonderful for both of us if I wouldn't prepare anything for an engagement. I should at least try to make a proposal plan to make it special for both of us. I wanted something that we would remember during reminisce therapy when we're old. Besides, we wouldn't just present ourselves to a City Hall and say our "I dos" spontaneously.

"Hey," Lisa said, approaching me, hugging herself. "It's cold."

"I know."

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Since after I called you and asked you to come here."

"That was like 20 minutes ago!"

"20 minutes it is then. I'm freezing."

"Ohhh…" She came to me and hugged me, trying to keep me warm. "Why are we here?"

"I have something to tell you."

"Is this mine?" She said, taking the bouquet of roses I was trying to hide in my back.

"No. It's for the gate keeper." I rolled my eyes.

"Thank you," then she kissed me. "Sweet. What would you tell me?"

I took a deep breath and draw some strength. "There have been many times when I have disturbed you, troubled you, irritated you, bugged you. On this day---" I sighed. "On this day, I just want to say---"

I looked at her face, trying to read how she'll react.

"I just want to tell you---" I should say it. I should continue. I should--- I paused instead.

"Tell me what?"

"Tell. You. That."

She smiled and appeared obviously confused.

"Tell you t-that I plan to continue." I handed her the roses and took off.

She laughed. I know she appreciate the gesture. It's just that I can't---not now.

Not yet.

* * *

Please review. More fun things to come---and drama.

~**mariel**


	4. Tested by Fate

**A/N: **Hello! Well, I just have to say (again) that the details in every sub-story are interconnected. Try to remember them. If you did, you're in for a heartwarming surprise by the end of my story. Thank you. And warning, still no beta.

* * *

**Tested by Fate**

* * *

**LAUNDRY**

"Wow!"

"W-what?"

"I didn't know were already supposed to wear each other's underwear in this stage of our relationship. I thought we're just supposed to take each other's off."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! I'm just wearing your boxers."

"So, I can start wearing your lingerie from now on?"

Lisa chuckled and prepared a counter. "If you wouldn't be too embarrassed---"

I did not even wait for her to finish her statement when I cut her off. "Could you let me sniff on them too? The clinic can get sooooo boring."

"Funny." She glared. "Okay, I forgot to do my laundry until this afternoon."

"So I noticed."

"That I didn't do my laundry?"

"That you weren't wearing your laundry since this morning." Her expression said, 'Excuse me?' and I added, "When you were in my lap."

"And I guess I should be flattered?"

I offered the shrug of one shoulder instead of a simple yes or no reply. "It wasn't like I went out of my way to look. Your chest was in my face."

"I see. So, what you're saying is that when my chest isn't in your face you don't notice it?"

"No. That's not what I said. But, now that you mention it…" I let the sentence trail.

Lisa picked right up where I left it off. "Mention what?"

"Victoria's secret? I think she shared it for a reason." And then I winked. I know. I am so going to pay for it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**BLACK AND WHITE**

"Couldn't you suck more?!"

I watched her put her hands to her face feeling embarrassed.

"You never hit the right keys. You're ruining my music!"

"I told you I don't play the piano!"

"That's why I'm teaching you! See…" I held her hand and guided her finger in pressing the right black key as I match it with my white key on my other hand.

"This is terrible…" She said.

"Are you giving up? No! Don't!" I moved closer to her as we try to fit ourselves in the small piano bench.

She scratched her head. "Why is it such a big deal? You always play the piano ALONE. I'm good with it. I'd just listen, okay?" She moved up to leave me but I did not let her hand go.

"Don't give up." She looked at me and surrendered. She sat down beside me and I held her hand, positioned it to the right keys and tried harder to patiently teach her the tempo and the right timing. By the time we were able to complete an octave it was half past midnight.

"I am tired," she said as she stretched one arm on my shoulder to face and hug me.

"From now on, I will no longer want to play the piano solo."

She threw me a questioning look. "Why? You're an excellent player."

"Playing music alone is sad. Being alone is sad."

She smiled sweetly at me, one I have felt secure. "You're not alone now. I am with you."

"I know. That's why from now on; you are playing the black keys while I play the white ones."

"Uh, okay."

"I have to play. I cannot not play the piano. I love the piano. So, don't ever leave me okay?"

She withdrew her gaze from me and stared at the piano keys as she says, "I'll try my best."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**BRAIN TUMORS**

"What if I'm sick and you have the pill that will cure me?" I popped a question suddenly while we are at Starbucks, her request as usual. Starbucks bores me. Coffee is just coffee, but Lisa doesn't think so. She thinks the coffee from this place is from the land of milk and honey.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"I said, what if I'm sick and you have the pill that will cure me, it's just that if I take it I'll not just get better but I'll forget about you, about everything that we've got. Would you give it to me?"

"Just take your Vicodin or something."

"No, seriously. Would you rather give it to me or let me die?"

"Stop it. It sounds crap."

"Seriously." I stared at her dead serious.

She sighed. "No. I wouldn't."

"You'd rather have me die? I'm hurt." I pretended I was offended by her letting me die rather than be cured. But honestly, there's a certain part in me that felt relief though I wasn't really expecting an exact answer from her.

"No. I wouldn't keep it from you nor would I directly hand it for you to take. I'd leave it in the dining table where you'd see it every day. You're free to take it anytime." She paused and continues. Obviously the hypothetical situation appears to be unbearable for her to answer but still went on indulging me. "You can freely take it anytime when---when the pain gets extremely unbearable. I'd understand."

"But I'd forget about the best times of my life."

"I'd remember for both of us then."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**PROPOSAL**

"Marry me or get off the boat."

I rowed and rowed and tried to make it vague for Lisa Cuddy until we reach the certain location where I planned to pop the question. I wouldn't want her to say no. So I took Wilson's joke seriously and actually thought that maybe it'll work. Besides, Lisa is used to almost all my idiosyncrasies.

"Close your mouth and answer me. Say 'I do' and we'll sign the papers."

"This is insane." She turned white. I have noticed that she had been pale these past few days and I dismissed it as an effect of overwork and late night sleep. She appears tired but this time, it appears like something went really wrong.

"Lisa?"

"No. I can't."

"W-what?"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because---I just, I won't."

"I think this is the point when you'll stop messing with me."

"Let's get back to the shore. I would be too fatigued and would die on my way there if you'd really have me off the boat right here."

I dared her to look at me as I say, "Jump off right now."

Of course, I didn't let her jump off. Because even before she stood up the boat to position herself to jump, she fainted. Did I mention she cried really hard saying she can't marry me? She didn't know how much it pained me. Still, I rowed as fast as I can back to the shore and called an ambulance when I realized that the fainting is a symptom of something else.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**DENIAL**

"Greg, I am sick. And I'll get worse. I wouldn't be able to be with you much longer." She spoke like she's intellectualizing things. It seems like she's trying desperately to be strong, but terribly failing.

"You can't die. I won't let you."

"Greg…"

"Never! I'll never let you go! I'm going to cure your illness and we're going to live happily together until our heads turn white and all our teeth fall out!"

"The problem is not the diagnosis! I have Refractory CLL. Boring!"

"How dare you say that?!" I stood up and took her chart from the foot part of her hospital bed. "I'm taking your case."

Then I walked out and slammed the glass door behind me so hard that the glass shards fell down mercilessly on the floor. I couldn't get my mind off her words that I didn't bother to care.

* * *

Please inspire me and review. Sorry about the grammar, I did my best.


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